We've Got Love (Carl Grimes x Reader)
by Wulferious
Summary: Carl and Y/N have grown up together, but Carl doesn't know that the reader has fallen in love with him. Will the prison incident finally allow Y/N to reveal her feelings? Or will Carl act on his own?


You and Carl had been friends for as long as you could remember; since your parents had been close friends with Lori and Rick since their days in High School. You were born the same year as Carl, and the two of you grew up around one another.

When the world fell, another friend of the families; Shane, had gotten all of you out of Atlanta. This was save for Rick, who had supposedly died in the Hospital. Through thick and thin, you had been there for Carl. Carl, in turn, had been there for you when you needed it, but he was the one that needed support then.

That was two years ago, or somewhere around there. You had lost track when the group had migrated towards the prison. All you knew was that both you and Carl were done growing up. You definitely had height to gain, but the childhood innocence you had before that was just… gone.

You had lost your parents along the way. Your dad had been bitten, and your mom refused to leave his side. So, both of them stayed back when the pack of walkers attacked the Greene farm. Carl was the one to drag you away and hold you as everyone made their escape. You would have died, too, if it weren't for Carl. At first, you were angry at him, but you eventually became thankful that he had saved you.

Another thing that you had lost track of, was the exact moment when you fell for Carl. There was just something so _right_ about your companionship. There was support, joy, humour… he constantly had your back, and he taught you how to shoot. Even when the two of you argued about things, you each stood by one another in the end.

Certainly, there was a time when both of you had nothing. Even so, the two of you had each other. When you were feeling depressed, Carl was there to tell you that everything was going to be fine. You wouldn't know what your life would have been like if you had grown up differently… the puzzle of your life painfully incomplete without that last piece in the middle. Even if he didn't return your feelings, you were just happy he considered you a friend, family, even.

~  
The group had returned to nothing. Separated, hurt, burnt, and you were filled with melancholy. So many had died, and others missing. The bus had gotten away, but was likely to be overrun by walkers soon after, anyway. Your home, as strange as it was, destroyed and not surprisingly, still on fire. The smoke had filled your lungs, and the shot that grazed your shoulder stung. Your face and legs were bruised, so it hurt to walk. However, you had gotten out after everything died down. Alone, scared, and clutching a broken photo frame of your family, you followed the glimpse you saw of Rick and Carl running off the path that leads to a small row of houses along a road that was in extreme disrepair.

You were limping and possibly had a sprained ankle, at least, on top of all your bruises. It was painful, so it took you a lot longer than you had hoped to try and catch up to the pair. It took more than a day to actually catch up, but thankfully the road was quite muddy, so you followed the two sets of footprints as best you could.

Mentally praising yourself for avoiding a slip and a fall, you finally approached the house that seemed to be in the best condition of the whole street. Knowing that Carl and Rick probably would have taken safety precautions, you didn't try to kick the door down, or even knock on it, for that matter.

They probably tipped a bookshelf or pushed a couch up against it. Instead, you knocked on the window closest to the door and only hoped that Carl would look before he shot. It took a few minutes of waiting, but Carl finally had pulled back the curtains, seeing your face. He was a lot cleaner than you thought he would have been, but at least he didn't look hurt.

Hastily, Carl opened the window, so that you could climb in. You nearly fell and toppled to the floor, but Carl had managed to catch you. Carl held you in his arms, and he almost looked like he was going to cry.

"I thought you died back there…" He whispered, leaning down to kiss you all over your face. He kissed your forehead, cheeks, and your chin. You giggled and ran your hands through his long and dirty hair.

"You know I'd never leave you," you said, grinning at him as he pulled backwards. You did your best to sit up properly, and Carl observed your state.

"You're all beaten up," he whispered, moving to stand, and helping you sit against the wall by the windowsill. "I think there are some bandages left. I'll go get them."

"You don't have to do that, I'll be ok," you tried to assure him, flashing a pained smile as Carl walked into the kitchen.

"Come on. I don't want you to get sick, and I'll not have you passing out on my like my dad did." Carl's retort made you look over at the couch that was blocking the front door. There lay Rick, just as beaten up as you were, sound asleep.

"Alright, but there's got to be something I can do you for you…" You say, watching Carl return to where you were sitting, cohesive bandages and scissors in his hands. Carl only smiled.

"I think just being here is enough." He looked you in the eyes, a put down the scissors. Carl placed a hand on your cheek and swiped his thumb across your skin. "I love you. I don't know what it would be like to be here without you. That's more than enough in my book. Now, let's get you patched up."

"I love you too…" you say, as Carl began to wrap the bandages where any cuts and wounds were. "I love you so much… I would have died out there if it weren't for you."

~ One year or so Later~

You thought it was all over. Arriving in Alexandria was the best thing that could have happened to you. Your bullet wound was scarred over, and even though you still had injuries from being out there, they were slowly healing. Even as your life had started to go uphill again, something always had to ruin it.

It had been a normal day, except for many of the adults going on some mission to take out a herd of walkers and lead them away from Alexandria. You and Carl hadn't really known very much about it, but you both assumed it was dangerous. Maybe three or so hours after everyone left, a loud horn noise erupted through the forest. That only meant someone was trying to lure the walkers toward you, and not away.

Taking emergency measures, you and Carl took Judith and her crib up into the second floor of the house, in the larger room. Carl grabbed ran out and grabbed a few weapons for the armoury before locking the door and placing a few pieces of furniture that were in the room against the door.

"I just talked to Carol," Carl started, sitting next to you on the floor and gripping your hand. "We need to stay here and protect Judith."

"Okay," you agree, looking over at the baby next to you, sleeping soundly in her crib. You manoeuvre to look out the window, a giant herd of walkers slowly making their way to the walls. "I never thought it would end like this." You sigh, sitting back down and taking Carl's hand again.

"Maybe it won't. We'll get through this, I promise." Carl reassured, kissing you tenderly on the cheek. You turned towards Carl and gave him a sad smile.

"I hope you're right."


End file.
